OK Reunion
Corby Rust (Beta Xi '94) | 6/30/2004 While packing jewelry, they came across a class ring. It was gold with a crimson stone.Late last summer, my wife was helping her grandmother pack for a move. While packing jewelry, they came across a class ring. It was gold with a crimson stone. On the stone was printed “KA.” One side read University of Oklahoma while the other side read Geology 1960.
The best grandma could recall, she and grandpa found the ring in the early 1960’s. They found it on some rocks at a secluded part of Grand Lake while fishing. The lake is a large, popular lake for recreation in northeast Oklahoma.
Inside the ring were the initials “IVR” or “TVR.” With a call to the KA National Office, a lady was able to find Tolman Van Roberts from Beta Eta Chapter in 1958. We decided that had to be right and she gave me his phone number and address.
I am an Oklahoma State graduate and it is very hard for me to do anything nice for a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. That is just how Oklahoma is, especially during football season. However, we are brothers of The Order and our brotherhood supercedes even football. I called Tolman. He couldn’t believe the story and was excited to see the ring again. He told me it wasn’t worth much money, but had great sentimental value. In those days, it was a big deal for him to buy the ring. He said Grand Lakes made sense because he had been going there often since 1960. We agreed that I would deliver the ring to him in person on my next visit to my parents.
I live in Tulsa. Brother Roberts lives in Edmond, Okla., which is about an hour and a half from Tulsa. Coincidently, Edmond is my hometown and Roberts lives less than a mile from my parent’s house.
The next visit came a few months later, the week of the OSU vs. Oklahoma football game. My wife and I went to the Robert’s house. While our wives talked, Tolman and I drank a beer, fixed the satellite dish, talked construction and football. Most importantly, he put the ring on for the first time in 40 years. |
